Science correspondent Nicola Davis revisits the strange story of Tam O’Braan and his attempts to grow tea in Scotland. In episode one of this mini-series, first broadcast in October 2025, Davis looks back on her first meeting with O’Braan while working on a feature about tea plantations in the UK.
The Green Shoots of a Suspicious Enterprise
O’Braan was selling his award-winning Scottish-grown tea to some of the UK’s finest hotels. However, something didn’t quite add up. Davis notes that O’Braan’s claims seemed too good to be true, and she wasn’t the only person taking an interest in his story. The investigation reveals a complex web of deception.
Unraveling the Fraud
According to Davis, the case highlights the challenges of verifying agricultural claims in a niche market. The Guardian’s investigation into O’Braan’s operations uncovered inconsistencies in his production methods and supply chain. The tea, purportedly grown in Scotland, may have been sourced from elsewhere.
“It was a strange brew,” Davis says, “and the more we dug, the more questions arose.” The case underscores the importance of due diligence in the food and drink industry.
